Social Skills in Prison and the Community

This book provides insights into helping offenders develop essential social skills for reintegration. Social Skills in Prison and the Community emphasizes practical strategies and real-world applications.

The phenomenon known as 'gate fever' describes a non-medical syndrome that affects incarcerated men as their release date approaches. This book, Social Skills in Prison and the Community, aims to explore and advocate for social skills-based strategies designed to assist offenders in navigating the challenges they encounter upon re-entering society. Symptoms of gate fever include a mix of euphoria, anxiety, and irrational thinking, with the stark reality of life outside prison serving as a wake-up call for those affected.

Originally published in 1984, Social Skills in Prison and the Community is rooted in an action-research project that engaged nearly four hundred men in two prisons, Ranby and Ashwell, as well as at a Sheffield day training center. The book details the project's inception, the development of course materials, and the training provided to prison officers and probation staff. It also examines the characteristics and struggles of the participants, offering insights into the practical application of the courses.

While overall offending rates did not see a significant decline, the findings indicated that violent offenders at Ranby were less likely to be reconvicted for violent crimes post-release. A notable outcome of the project was the establishment of a working model for engaging with offenders, which has since been adopted in various prisons and probation areas. The concluding chapter addresses the challenges of implementing innovative practices within penal institutions and proposes ways to enhance social skills development for inmates and probationers.